Blood Moon (Paul Lahote)

Three: The Results

Charlie, Bella, and I were having breakfast together. He ordered from the diner and brought it here because Bella didn't want to cook.

Her face was still stained with tears and her eyes were puffy. She sat emotionless at the table, not eating.

"Bells." Charlie says. "You gotta eat something." She just stared at him for a good 5 seconds before taking a small bite of her bacon. When she left to go get ready for school her plate was still full. I sat her full plate on top of my empty one and started eating.

Bella doesn't understand how good she has it. I've eaten more these past two days than I have in a week. I'm hoping he'll let me wash my clothes tonight if it comes back negative.

Bella walked down the stairs and out the door. She hopped into her rustbucket of a truck and left for school.

"So when did you become a police officer?" I asked to break the tension.

"Well." He says and coughs. "Since I couldn't go to college and my parents couldn't work. I joined Forks PD and met Renee, Bella's mom, my first summer there."

"What is she like?" I asked. I'm really wonder why Bella is like this.

"She still acts the same as she did all those years ago." He says. God I hate when people are like that. It's usually the kids that were popular in high school that never grow out of it. "She was with some friends at La Push beach not too far from here. It was like love at first sight. She came back for me and we got married in Port Angeles. I bought this house for us because it was close to my parent's."

I would love to be as devoted to my parents as Charlie is. He did so much for them.

"Then Renee became pregnant with Isabella. While she was pregnant my parents' sickness went on a downward spiral. Renee wanted to go somewhere else to raise Isabella but I couldn't leave my parents behind." He says. "Renee had postpartum depression after having Isabella and she left with her a few months after she was born. My parents died 6 months apart from each other when Bella was four. I just never left Forks. Renee didn't understand it, but whatever she wanted I went with so I could see Isabella. I was so happy when she moved to Forks a little under a year ago."

And all the sudden I hate Renee. He sounded almost heart breaking when he talked about her. I can't imagine living in a house all alone knowing you have a kid being raised by an irresponsible mother.

We're both interrupted by the ringing of the home phone. We both look at each other before Charlie picks up the phone. He answers, says thank you, and hangs up.

"It's positive." He says tearing up. "You're my daughter Cailyn." He comes over to wear I'm sitting and gives me a hug. He just holds me there for a good five minutes. I can't help but start to cry.

I have a dad now.

"You can stay here as long as you want Cailyn." He says. I love hearing my name come from his mouth. It relaxes me. I just nod my head at his words.

I haven't had a permanent home my whole life. Charlie doesn't pause for a second to welcome me into his home. I've never had that. I start to cry harder and he kisses me on the top of my head. He finally let's go of me and I wipe the tears from my face.

"I have to go to work today." He says. "But you can settle into your room today while I enroll you in school. It's the first door on the left." He points towards the room and I nod my head. He hugs me goodbye and I go to my car.